Plasma persulfides and newborn sepsis in babies
Official title: Plasma persulfides explain culture-negative neonatal sepsis
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11436564 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in newborns, including premature infants and adults, explores whether toxic hydrogen sulfide from gut bacteria explains culture-negative sepsis and if a vitamin B12 derivative could help treat it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | September 11, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $418,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD122943-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11436564 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Newborns and premature infants with suspected sepsis, as well as adults previously studied for H2S-related shock, who consent to participate or provide samples.
✕Less likely to help
Children or adults without suspected sepsis or those not showing signs of H2S-related shock may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how hydrogen sulfide produced by gut bacteria might cause sepsis symptoms in newborns without positive culture results. The team will explore whether blocking hydrogen sulfide with hydroxocobalamin could rapidly reverse shock, based on prior adult data. Researchers will use blood markers and clinical observations to connect H2S presence to organ injury and sepsis signs in infants, while also considering how to detect H2S more reliably. The effort aims to shift thinking from infection-only to toxin-related sepsis and identify potential treatment strategies that could be used in vulnerable newborns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to faster, targeted treatment for culture-negative sepsis in newborns and possibly reduce brain injury and mortality.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary adult data suggest that blocking H2S can reverse shock, but applying this to newborns is novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Willoughby, Rodney E — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Willoughby, Rodney E
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.